Later's 'Tuna - it has been fun [2018]

Well it was on the cards. Let's recap where we are first though.

I'd stuck it out with the team despite dropping into the relegation zone at times. With 27 games played, so only 3 to go till the end of the season, we were 9th. Same place we finished as last season and with only 3 less points than our final total at 37. In theory we could finish higher and/or with more points than we did last season. Technically we were better than we had been before which is nice. It just didn't feel that way. I think it was because of our form.

We had bad runs and good runs. When we were bad we were very bad, and most of the time when we were good we were a little lucky. Don't get me wrong, we were still playing some good football, and with Granqvist in the team things were picking up. But overall we seemed a little weaker than the season before.

At this point I was happy to just get to the end of the season and see how things were. None of the players I'd gone in for during the transfer window had wanted to come but I thought maybe if I get to the end of the season and survive they'll change their minds?

I won't know though because I got this job offer...

It wasn't completely out of the blue. When they sacked the previous manager I put a cheeky application in. I was told I wasn't one of the favourites but they must have seen something and the offer came in. Now, let me be clear, I really don't like Leeds. I'm a Huddersfield fan. But on FM it was too good an offer to turn down. They're under achieving but have a good squad, no real debt that I can see and in a much higher league. I also have the benefit of not caring about the team too much if it goes horribly wrong - I can be mercenary about it.

Struggle at 'Tuna (as much as I love them) or try the championship? It sadly didn't take too long to decide.

So I'm off but what of 'Tuna? Well they've done well under me. Promoted from the 4th tier to the 2nd, with two (albeit minor) titles on the way.

From a piddling little balance to one of over a million, with a youth facility improvement on the way. I'm rightfully one of the favoured. I've enjoyed it. Even though I've been moaning this season. The only thing stopping me from staying on and rejecting Leeds is we can't turn professional yet. If we could I'd give it another season.

But it's been a good run and hopefully my favourite Bergh who is now the assistant manager will take over from me (nice to have a bit of continuity!). I think they might stabilise and become part of the First Division Elite furniture even without me.

Had some good players whilst I've been there. Felic has done well though I think he's on his last legs. Owe much behind the titles to his goal scoring prowess. A real lower league Treq.

Kamara, Sunday, Wikstrom, Celsing, Cirak, Sundberg, Manns - all main stays and all bar Sunday with the club initially. To their favoured (by me) ranks I can happily add Hansen (the traitor), Svensson (who'll be playing the Swedish top flight soon I think), Moller, Backstrom and Viggeborn.

I was going to put a screenshot of each of my favourite players up but it's so many. I've saved the game before I left though so I can always go back and look at them if I need to.

Bye 'Tuna City! All the best!

Career Recap

Just got to hold on.... [2018]

My doom and gloom view was justified. Look at the form!

I was a game away from resigning. We had four defeats in a row, and we slipped down the table.The team were unhappy and I was furious. Both my key strikers, Felic and Viggeborn, were on 8 or 10 match goaless runs respectively. So I gave this guy a start as striker.

I signed him at the start of the season. I didn't mention him, or the AMLC I bought because I didn't think they'd be much use for a good long while. But I figured it was worth giving him a go as striker. After all even if he couldn't score it would still take 8 games for him to be as bad as Felic and Viggy.

It worked out quite nicely. He grabbed a great goal from outside the area, which spurred Viggy on when he came off the bench, and we beat Brommapojkarna 4-1. Which then triggered a run of wins allowing us to just move up and out of the relegation zone and sit in 12th place. The screen shot at 20 games messed up so here it is at 21.

Team are doing...okay. A lot of them won't be here next year simply because I'm not renewing their contracts.Bjorkebaum for example will be going. He's getting on and he's not impressed.

The final 10 games? Could go either way still. A bad run will suck us back down, a good run will keep us afloat. I want to finish this season and survive at the very least. I'll be left with a bit of a decision at the end though.

I think if we survive and can recruit the players I'm looking for in the upcoming transfer window (got my eye on about 5 players, all decent) then I'll stay for another season.

If we get relegated then I'll go down with the ship like a good captain should be then...once the bubbles have stopped rising I'll quietly hand my notice in.

Anything in between that I don't know.

Ireland U-19's

One friendly, one win. Beat Iceland 1-0. Some of the players look promising but it doesn't mean much at the moment. It's the comparative games and the squad I can put together for them. I've arranged several friendlies so I can play around with tactics and cynically tempt some dual nationality players into declaring for Ireland! But the important games won't be for at least another year.

Saving Grace [2018]

A new season, a new start and a whole new set of...disappointments.

Actually that is a little harsh. This season just hasn't been going very well. It's been very hectic but not positive for 'Tuna. I was actually getting to the point where I was counting down and thinking, "...at game X if the table looks like this then I'm off." And other variants. I just wasn't enjoying things. I was enjoying FM but it seemed like things were getting a little stale at 'Tuna.

Part of this was down to some terrible form in the league...

...that lead to us being here after 10 games.10th with 12 points. Not great, but not terrible either.

What was making it worse was that the recent change in form had pulled us up and out of the relegation zone but we seemed to be fairly lucky with results. The team was playing okay and deserved points but we weren't finishing games off very well and key players just weren't stepping up. As you can sort of see here...

...I know it's only 10 games in but there's not a lot of goals there, and that's part of the problem. We don't look like scoring anywhere near as many as we did last season and we look pretty limited in what we can do on the pitch. Totally down to not having a decent left back I think. I know I said I was eager to recruit because the team was good enough but I was wrong. Horribly wrong.

Svennson on the right is playing amazingly well. Last season he only played a little there and moonlighted as an emergency left back (though not very effectively). This season he's at right back and he is just marauding down that wing. In a similar style to Molder. He's carving space open, getting involved and is a really attacking threat. All whilst staying secure at the back.

On the left....well Nino Johnasson is okay defensively but isn't offering anything going forward. Wallinder likewise, and when I play Manns there I get a little more out of the DL position but then I leave a huge hole in the middle of the defence, that my other DC's don't fill very well. I don't gain enough in attacking threat by moving Manns to offset the loss in security at the back.

The knock on effect of this is that who ever is playing as AML is having to do pretty much all the attacking work down that side. Which gets tiring and predictable. The left back will move forward and be a passing option but they won't run and attack with the ball, they won't run without it and open up space...they just sit there for the back pass from the tired and frustrated AML.

So I need a DL. Problem is no one who looks half decent wants to come. I don't want to panic buy so I'm not going to rush but it leaves me with two options really.
1) Change the formation so attacking from the DL/R positions is less important.
2) Retrain Wallinder a little for the wingback role and hope that he improves. This option also involves crossing my fingers that I can scrape by this season if he doesn't get more attacking.

Ideally there would be that extra option of bringing someone in but that's not working. As I mentioned nobody wants to come and I think I know why. We're still semi pro. I want to ask the board if we can go pro but I don't even have the option - apparently even with no debts and 1m in the bank it is still too expensive. I then asked, well can we at least scout a little bit outside of Sweden then to try and recruit? I thought maybe Finland and Norwary might be a good place to get a few less fussy players. The board said no, apparently Sweden is good enough for us...

Another issue (I know, moan moan moan) is that squad morale has plummeted. A few squad players want to leave because they want to play more, a few want to leave because they think they've peaked here (may be some truth to that), a few in the reserve team are sick of being there and others are just a bit down because of our form.To the point where the board are paying attention to squad harmony.

My plan to deal with this has two parts. Part 1 has been implemented. Every complaining player in the reserves was released on a free. Part 2 is a work in progress...just play better and get some results. We're still doing better than the 15th predicted by the media but the players are unhappy all the same (as they should be - we're better than 10th).

The poor form, moaning, lack of turning pro and general board arseyness left me wanting to leave but two things have happened that mean I'm not going to make a hasty exit. I'm going to hold on. So long as I'm not in the relegation zone at one of the key points in the season (15 games, 20 games and 25 games), and even then I might hold on for a while if it's only a few points, then I'm staying.

So what has changed my mind and staved off my general 'Tuna weariness?

First of all the board did agree to this...

...I know I won't see the benefits for a while but at least they're willing to invest. My youth products are already pretty good, this would be a step towards maximising the potential of them and maybe progressing (or making money).

Second I got this...

...oh yes. I know it's not the most glamorous role but it is a stepping stone and I like the (semi) realism of it. I'm not jumping straight into international management. I've earnt some kudos domestically and now my half Mexican-half Irish manager gets to cut his teeth with the youth team. I would have preferred the Swedish youth job but because the Swedish league is active I just can't compete with all the Swedish staff for the job. Not yet. So Ireland U19's it is. They have no competitive fixutures to speak of after being knocked out of the Euro Qualifiers so that gives me plenty of time to sort the team out.

Anything else to report? Well I did add the MLS, which will become active in December. Mainly because I was reading a chapter from Soccernomics and a quote stood out in it - 'The MLS is crying out for a dynasty'.

I might give creating one a go in the future. I know the plan is to stay with 'Tuna for now but if a job in the MLS came up then I'd be off. Building a real dynasty there is too tempting. Likewise a move to Scotland to break the Old Firm completely. Kilmarnock won the title this year, and Dundee Utd the year before, but no other team in recent memory in the game (or real life I guess) has put together a run of titles like Rangers or Celtic.

And relax [2017]

And.....we can unclench. 9th with 40 points. Survival has been assured, with a couple of games to go.

Relegation didn't look too much like a possibility as we held on fairly firmly to that 9th place. There were a few blips and a few losses crept in but overall we didn't take the fatal nose dive that the media were expecting (and predicting with every loss).

The squad performance picked up quite a bit as players settled, thought I'm not sure how well it shows in the stats*. As an aside I've been thinking of running something of analysis on some of the starts I have from each seasons match stats. I'm not quite sure what sort yet because of the sheer amount of variables but maybe with a few more seasons data I can think about looking at performance as related to some of the stats I've been focusing on like pass completion.

I've been noticed again and offered a job.

What I also did was turn a little traitor...

It was just too tempting. Birmingham, in League 1, with a squad good enough for the championship. A team from the second city and ripe for some real success. Unfortunately they turned me down. I think those are the kind of jobs I want to go for. I'm happy building with 'Tuna but a sleeping or fallen giant would be great.

Next Season

What to do? Where to recruit?

I'm not looking really for any players. Sounds a little daft but I think the team is good enough to survive. I don't want to rush into getting any players. Maybe a stunning left back would be great but I've got a lot of young players who deserve a chance.

If I can get a few cheap or promising players I'll add them for depth but otherwise we're going to try and keep the squad stable.

*Weeks of marking has pretty much fried my brain and I'm not going to go in depth with this end of season review.

Steady....Steady... [2017]

I'm writing this and the next post after a bit of a break. I'd reached the end of the season, stopped to write up and then had to stop even longer because of work. But now it's FM time again.

So, 20 games in and a fairly reasonable 9th. 26 points from 20 games isn't anything special but for relegation battlers we'll take that at this stage. At any stage of this season really.

The form has really picked up for us. A lot of draws but it kept the points ticking over. We managed to keep pace with the teams around us.

We've had help in the form of a new recruit - Russian Podberezkin.

Promising and he has slotted pretty much straight into the team. He's kept the favourite Lundesvall out since arriving. Defensively he's not as solid but we seem to be passing it about a little bit better.

We've also got another new recruit with promising from the youth intake. Pretty good again for this level. I continue to be impressed by youth players we've brought in.

One youth player from a previous intake that has to make the step up now is keeper Moller.

Because Bergh who has the appearance record for the team...

...is retiring.

He was going to hold on till the end of the season but I stepped in to make him the new assistant manager. He's a bit of a fan fave after all. It was slightly risky changing keepers but with a third of the season to go hopefully, if Moller doesn't work, we can hold on.

Takes real effort to be this inconsistent [2017]

The elite season is a bit longer at 30 games than the other divisions we've been in so I decided a snapshot after 5 games might not tell a great deal. I decided on three updates at 10, 20 and then finally the end of season at 30. But I got a bit over excited and so the first update is at 11 games.

Not that it makes much different. We're sitting mid table but we're not far from the drop. Largely because we've been all over the place form wise.

We've had some good games, and we've been unlucky, but we just don't seem to be able to finish games off. It's to be expected I guess and this should rightly be 'Tuna's most difficult season to date but it's a little frustrating. Everyone likes to win and we should have a few more to our name really.

Maybe the inconsistency has something to do with influx of players, younger players? Never mind. They're doing pretty well and will only get better. The real revelation youth wise has been my left back - Ninos Johansson. He got called up from my youth team as a back up but because of injuries he slotted straight in and has been doing well. Not as well as Hansen, the DL he replaced, but not bad for a youth product.

Speaking of Hansen the traitor set up the only goal when we played his team.

The team isn't quite firing on all cylinders yet. Look at the pass completion rate...

It's just below what I would like, across the board really. But that all adds up to a few more incomplete passes, more interceptions, loss of possession in certain areas. That needs tightening up but I think it's going to be a case of waiting to see whether that will solve itself as the team settles and the players develop.

Anyway, season prospects? I think mid table would be nice. I'd take that right now if I could. I don't see us making an inspired push for the top half of the table. A relegation dog fight seems more likely based on current form. That said I don't mind the fight so long as we survive.

Those defenders look...promising? [2017]

Once again it was time to try and strengthen the team for a season of survival. The board wanted us to steer clear and the media thought we were ripe for immediate relegation. To be fair before I managed to sign a few players I was leaning more towards the media prediction of bottom of the table.

After all we had lost Hansen and Molder - two key players. Not just because they were first choice defenders but because they could attack as well. They both ended up with an attacking fullback or wing back role and played really well. They chipped in with a few goals each season but more important they set up plenty of attacking moves. Big shoes to fill.

Initially trying to fill them didn't go well. The catalogue of non-Swedish players I had built up still remained aloof. Occasionally they would be willing to listen to a 'good' offer but the best I could do was £700 a week. Which was laughed off.

Trying to recruit Swedish Premier (and even Elite) cast offs went the same way as well. The ones good enough to improve the team wouldn't talk or wanted more than I could offer. The more mediocre players would talk but still expected to be paid handsomely for what would essentially be a bit of a stop gap role (or an expensive mistake if I got relegated with them).

I looked at my youth team and....no joy there really. A DL, Ninos Johansson that might one day step up but that was about it. I'd give him a chance but he doesn't look the finished article. Looking at my youth team did make me think though. I was expected to get relegated so I would probably survive a disaster like that - why not take the risk and try and get some promising youth players in? I only get a small transfer budget of about £30k a year as things stand so investing in a few cheap but promising players would mean I could make make some money in the long term, and fill the team sheet in the short term. And if I was successful in the league with a few youth players then so much the better.

Defence

Wallinder

Wallinder looked nice and versatile. Either side of defence with a suggestion that he might be able to get forwards whilst still be sound at the back. He cost a bit though and it took 8k to get Enkoping to sell. I started to get worried about a few attributes (passing 3! crossing 2!) but then realise at 16 there's room for improvement.

Curri

 Curri wasn't quite as young, nor as highly rated but for 1.5k he could act as back up on either side of defence.

Eliasson

Eliasson is on loan so I'm not too worried about his development but I think he gives me a DR who'll run down the wing pretty well. Maybe not as well as Molder did but hopefully well enough.

Jovanovic

Jovanovic might have been a bit of a panic buy really. He was free and at the point of signing I hadn't actually managed to get anyone else yet. I was starting to worry that I was going to be very light at the back so I brought him in. I think though if I can get his physical attributes up he will be okay. But maybe not one for this season other than a few bit parts.

Svensson

Svensson I have high hopes for - as do the scouts and coaches. Universally opinion seems to be high for this chap. 17 means plenty of room to improve and I think as he develops, with a bit of attention, he'll become a first teamer.  Well he'd better become a first teamer at some point as I spent 18k on him. I did manage to talk Vasteras down from 32k but still 18k is a huge chunk of the budget.

Pelle Olofsson

Pelle Olofsson falls into the same category as Svensson but a little older. With game time and training I can see him making an impact. A bit more versatile than Svensson though not as attacking or even defensively sound...actually the more I type the less convinced I am. Looking at his mental attributes though I can see some promise.

Bahar

Bahar was again a bit of a panic buy as DL's seemed a bit thin on the ground. If I can improve his acceleration though he should be okay though.

Midfield

Philip Olofsson

Philip Olofsson came in on a free and was a product of the youth set up at top flight Halmstad. He looked a bit like a younger version of Kamara. He'd help me with rotation in the midfield as Backstrom would be filling in for the AML and MC- AP positions.

Lundberg

I also added Lundberg. I don't see him poses a threat to either Wikstrom or Gustafsson at the moment but in time, with some work on his physical attributes, he could make the step up.

Attack

No one. Not for lack of trying.


Overall

I'm not that confident but then my pessimism tends to know no bounds. A lot of young and relatively untested recruits but at least they wouldn't be expensive mistakes (bar maybe Svensson if he flops). I did have lots of stronger looking youth players lined up but they just didn't want to come. I think I need a season or two at this level for the clubs rep to catch up.

I think what is really impeding me at the moment is the fact the club are still semi-pro. I can't even ask for the club to make the step up to pro as we don't have the money. I don't know how much we would need but we don't have it.

Looking at the past tables I think we need to target 40 points to survive. We have a slightly longer season now (30 games) but I want to get to the magic 40 as quickly as possible. I'm confident with midfield, and even with Viggeborn and Felic up front. Bergh I expect to be as solid as ever and the youth back up Moller has been called up to the Swedish u19's to there's promise there. I just don't trust my defence any more. Perhaps more importantly for the way my team play I don't trust them with going forward or starting a move any more. If we can't replicate what Molder and Hansen did down the wings then I think we're going to have a long season.

Getting relegated with 'Tuna would really test my resolve so I don't want it to even come up. I'm happy enough with the club - my head hasn't been turned by any offers elsewhere yet. I can't see myself going to another team in Sweden at the moment and it would take a special club elsewhere to drag me away this season (you can see I've changed my tune on wanderlust with that last promotion!).

'Tuna to the Top [2016]

Top of this table anyway. Not quite at the top of the Swedish pyramid but one step closer after grabbing the title here.

I know I should really try and build up to it and maintain some suspense but it was straight forward. Once we got 1st place with 5 games to go we didn't give it up. Viggeborn played amazingly well and we kept out unbeaten run going.

The key game was against Vasalund - a point at this stage would have won the title for us. Instead we squeezed in a victory to do it with some style. Here's the the title winning goal (although I imagine Felic and Viggeborn would argue the combine 25 goals they bagged were more important).

Molder is off at the end of the season - and that's a nice way to say goodbye.

Here are the end of season player stats - I think the fact we had a bit of an injury ridden season is clear. A lot of appearances spread around. The team pulled together well and although it never really felt like we were playing amazing football (at least not to the extent we did last year) we still managed to grab the title with a record points total.

I managed to get manager of the year.

And more importantly as far as I'm concerned I'm finally on the clubs favoured personnel, with an untouchable job status. I may well need that as the Swedish Elite division is going to be tough.

End of Season Analysis

Here's a slightly different squad display - I've taken out the players that are leaving, either to other clubs or on free, so I can see where we need to improve. I've also moved Moller, a youth keeper, into the squad.

'Keeper

I willing to give Bergh another season with Moller as backup. Bergh did just fine this season and got the most clean sheets in the division. It'll be tougher, especially with a weaker defence (potentially) in front of him but I don't see it as being the key position to change.

If I see a great keeper then I'll bring them in but I'm not going to be hunting specifically for one.

Defence

Molder and Hansen were immense, as always, and now leave a giant hole. With Ekholm going as well I definitely need to recruit and strengthen here. At least one left wing back, one right wing back, cover for that position and maybe another DC as cover.

I'm going to retrain Gregorcik and Claesson to play on either side of the pitch as well but only as a back up.

Midfield

Things went quite well here, and as we've only really lost the poorer of the two Ciraks (Adhan) and Tinnerholm I don't think we need to do a great deal here.

AML is covered by Bjorkebaum and Backstrom.
AMR is covered by Sunday and Celsing.
AP  is well covered by Kamara and Backstrom.
DLP is covered by Lundesvall and Gustafsson
DM is covered by Wikstrom and Gustafsson

I just need to bring in some extra cover I think.

Attack

I think it's time for Felic to move to the bench and Viggeborn to take the starting position. He finished the season well and at a young age he will benefit from starting much more than the 33 year old Felic. I won't be getting rid of Felic as with 13 goals this season he can do the job but I think the transition has to be made.

For back up I only really have the 30 year old Berner. I think I need to bring in some younger options if I can.

Overall

Defence is key - aside from that I think I just need to add depth. My new wage budget is going to be 7.7k a week which will help, though my transfer budget is a little miserly.

With the jump to the Elite division I'll have to see if I can tempt better players over.

Topsy-Turvy 'Tuna [2016]

Well this season is keeping even me guessing as we bounce around. In the last update for the middle of the season we'd fallen off the pace and looked a little bit...well crap. I was really worried that we were just going to fall further and further away from Vasalund who were sitting pretty in 1st place. They'd just beaten us to extend the gap.

What has happened though has gone against that. We've managed to fight back to first. Although fight back might not be the most accurate way of phrasing it. We've clawed our way back whilst Vasalund and Vasteras have faltered.

Those recent draws we had occurred around the same time as a dip in form for the others. They dropped points with draws or losses. We crept up and then eventually overtook them.

Five games to go then. Can we do it? Erm....yeah maybe. I should actually be more optimistic as we're looking on to get more points this season than last but it's still very tight at the top. I don't feel like the team are performing at their peak either.

Pass completion isn't great and Felic is out for most of those final 5 games. In fact he's probably out for all of them when you consider match fitness too. Viggeborn has been doing well as a straight replacement for Felic. Perhaps too well as I'm sure he was listed as a ML/ST when I bought him...now he's just a ST. I'm guessing that he was in the process of being retrained for the ML spot and then when I signed him I didn't continue - so now he's lost it.

Kamara is almost certainly out for the final 5 games too. And Lundesvall might only make it back in time for the final couple of games. Can probably see why my optimism is waning a little.

What you might also notice* is that a lot of players have decided to jump ship. Molder, Hansen, Tinnerholm, Ekholm and Muqdisi. Of those Molder and Hansen will be big loses, and Ekholm might be considering he's my back up at right back.  I don't really care about Tinnerholm and Muqdisi. Neither of them have lived up to even my quite low expectations of them.

I just couldn't get them to stay though. Most of them wanted out or wanted more than I could offer them. I've not tried to recruit yet because I think my two options for squad building depend on whether I get promoted or not. If I wait and get promoted I can recruit, hopefully, a better standard of player. If I don't get promoted then I think I need to gut the team. I'll need to get rid of deadwood and free up wages for the next push.

I don't really fancy a big rebuild of the squad though, so I'd better get promoted then.


*And what you might also, also notice is that the individual training for most of the players doesn't seem to change much. I did initially change it quite a bit but because of the level of my coaching, and the fact most players are part time, very little seems to change stat wise for a lot of the players. I do change things up every now and again but as the changes aren't huge I don't get much benefit from changing them often.